It is a sad time; the Messenger of
Allah (PBUH&HP) is not feeling well; his relatives are standing near his
bed. Fatimah (PBUH) is present there and witnesses how her father is spending
the last moments of his life. She cries, laments, and reads the poem Abu Talib
had said about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP), ”He is a respectable man whom
the clouds are asked to rain for his respect; the one who was a refuge for the
orphans and a guard for the widows”.(1) As Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP)
observes this scene, he consoles his daughter by saying, ”O my daughter! I
entrust you with Allah (SWT); O dear Fatimah! When I die, do not tear your
clothes (do not be impatient) and do not scratch your faces, and only say
whatever I said when my son Abraham (2) died: ‘The eye is crying; the heart is
in pain; but we do not say what makes Allah (SWT) wrathful. O Abraham! We are
all grieved over your death (3)”.

Then, he said with a voice that barely
came out his mouth, ”O my daughter! O Fatimah! Now read this verse of the Quran
(4): ‘Muhammad is only a messenger; the messengers have already passed away
before him; if then he dies or is killed will you turn back upon your
heels?…(5)”

Then he continued, ”O my daughter!
Come close. Come close so that no one can hear my voice except you (6)”. Then,
he whispered something into the ears of Fatimah (PBUH) that made her cry. After
that, he whispered something else which made her happy, such that a smile
appeared on her blessed face (7).

Then he said, ”Call my brother!”. But
some intended to irritate and called for others instead. Umm Salamah, the loyal
wife of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) said, ”Why are you annoying him?”, and
she went after Amir al-Mu’minin (PBUH) and brought him. The Prophet
(PBUH&HP) talked to Amir al-Mu’minin (PBUH) for a long time (8) until he
felt faint. At this point, Imam Hassan (PBUH) and Imam Hussain (PBUH), who were
little kids, entered the room while crying, and threw themselves on the chest
of Prophet (PBUH&HP). Amir al-Mu’minin (PBUH) tried to get the children off
him, but the Prophet (PBUH&HP) said, ”O Ali! Leave them so that I smell
them; they smell me; I benefit from them; and they benefit from me”.

The final moment arrived. Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH&HP) told Amir al-Mu’minin (PBUH), ”Put my head on your laps;
the will of Allah (SWT) has come. When I die, undertake the preparations,
perform prayer on me, and do not leave me until you put me in my grave; and ask
Allah (SWT) for His help in all these affairs”.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) said
these words, and while his head was on the laps of Amir al-Mu’minin (PBUH), his
soul left his body towards his Lord. At this moment, Amir al-Mu’minin (PBUH)
screamed (9), and while grief and sorrow had overtook him and his eyes were in
tear, he covered the body of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) with a cloth and
started preparing him for burial (10).

Indeed, the saddest moment of the
history was such; this was how the best of the creation left the world passed
away and made the creation mournful over him.

(The above is a
selection taken from “The Darkest Week of the History (the events of 4 days
before and 3 days after the demise of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP))”, by Ali
Muhaddith (with some changes and additions))

Roshd Website offers condolences to
all Muslims, especially your dear friend, upon 28th of Safar, the anniversary
of the demise of the last Prophet and the mercy upon the creation, Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH&HP), and the martyrdom of his grandson, Imam Hassan Mujtaba
(PBUH).

Footnotes:

1. Usul al-Kafi,
vol. 1, p. 449

2. Abraham was
the son of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) who was born in the year 8 AH and
died of a disease at the age of 18 months.

4. The Prophet
(PBUH&HP) wanted to note that this is the day this verse is manifested.

5. The Holy
Quran, (3:144)

6. Sirah
al-Mustafa, by Hashim Ma’rouf, p. 717

7. After the
demise of the Prophet (PBUH&HP) Aisha asked Lady Fatimah (PBUH), ”What did
he say to you on the last moments that made you cry, and what did he say that
made you happy?” Lady Fatimah (PBUH) answered, ”First, he informed me of his
death, which made me upset. Then, he told me that I would be the first person
among his family to join him after his death”. (Tarikh Ibn Athir, vol. 2, p.
322; Tabaqaat, by Ibn Sa’ad, vol. 2, p. 247 and …)

8. Later, Amir
al-Mu’minin (PBUH) was asked, ”What did the Prophet (PBUH&HP) tell you?”
Amir al-Mu’minin (PBUH) replied, ”He opened 1000 fields of knowledge for me,
each field opened up 1000 fields. He ordered me some things which I shall
execute, with the will of Allah (SWT).” (Kashf al-Ghummah, vol. 1, p. 18)